The incidence of viral upper respiratory disease is immense. It has been estimated that nearly a billion cases annually appear in the United States alone. Studies performed in England (Tyrell and Bynoe, 1966) indicated that 74 percent of persons having colds were infected with rhinoviruses. Because more than 80 strains of rhinoviruses are already identified, the development of a practical rhinovirus vaccine is not feasible, and chemotherapy appears to be the more desirable approach.
The ability of chemical compounds to suppress the growth of viruses in vitro is readily demonstrated by using a virus plaque suppression test similar to that described by Siminoff, Applied Microbiology, 9(1), 66 (1961).
Certain benzimidazole compounds have been found to possess anti-viral activity, including those compounds found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,028, 4,216,313, 4,293,558, and 4,338,315 (1-thiazolinyl and -thiazinyl keto benzimidazoles); 4,174,454 (alkylidenylmethyl-substituted-1-sulfonylbenzimidazoles); 4,018,790, 4,118,573, 4,196,125, 4,243,813 and 4,316,021 (1-sulfonyl-2,5(6)-substituted benzimidazoles); 4,008,243 (1-thiazolinyl and -thiazinyl benzimidazole esters); 4,230,868 (.alpha.-alkyl-.alpha.-hydroxybenzyl-substituted-1-sulfonylbenzimidazoles) ; and 4,118,742, 4,289,782, and 4,338,329 (carbonyl substituted-1-sulfonylbenzimid-azoles).
It is the purpose of this invention to provide novel benzimidazole compounds which inhibit the growth of viruses, particularly rhinoviruses, polio viruses, Coxsackie viruses, echo virus, and Mengo virus.